THE GIVER (Lois Lowry) will stay with me always. It is set in a society where everyone is the same, where individuation is anathema, and memories are preserved for only one generation. When Jonas turns twelve, he is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories. Only The Giver (the previous Receiver) holds the memories of the past. It is his role to pass them onto Jonas.

THE GIVER terrified me. It is our differences, whether cultural, political, or personal, that make us who we are. Too eliminate them is to . . . oops, starting to sound like a sociologist. Time to move on. Read THE GIVER. It is not to be missed.

For pure pleasure, my pick is BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl). The romance and historical interludes I could take or leave, but I found the wry voice of Ethan, the narrator and protagonist, absolutely captivating. Moreover, Ethan’s need to escape the tiny reactionary community where he was born and raised resonated deeply.

In short, AN ECHO IN THE BONE was overwritten and the ending felt undone. Still, I will likely to continue with the series if only because I’ve already invested so much time in it. My main issue with the book was the non-existent editing. It reinforced the need for writers to check for repeated words and actions in their manuscripts. Ninety-seven pages included a character blinking. That is a lot of dust in the air. Because it was so distracting, it’s my most vivid recollection of the book.

In THE SWAN THIEVES, brilliant artist Robert Oliver is arrested when he attacks a canvas in the National Gallery. Enter psychiatrist Andrew Marlow, committed to parsing out the mystery behind Oliver’s obsession with the painting.

I love art and books that revolve around art. Like AN ECHO IN THE BONE, THE SWAN THIEVES was overwritten, but I found it to be a worthwhile read. It was also a reminder to writers like myself that description, no matter how beautifully written, can plod. I alternated between admiring Kostova’s lovely writing and pulling my hair out waiting for something to happen.

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7 thoughts on “Reviews: The Giver, Beautiful Creatures, An Echo in the Bone, & The Swan Thieves”

97 pages just on blinking?! Okay, cross that one off my list. I'm putting my January stats this weekend – but I will say I am pleased with myself. So many people like Beautiful Creatures that perhaps I ought to add that to my list…

Isn't THE GIVER just amazing?! I loved that book.In January, I read eight novels. The one that stands out the most for me is Jonathan S. Foer's Extrememly Loud & Incredibly Close.It's so unique. The story is just heartbreaking, but at the same time — the book uplifted me.

This is a good time for reading, the heart of winter, settled inside with a good book. I read Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, a good read, and I particularly enjoy her clear, unadorned style of writing.

I love Lois Lowry. Number the Stars is fantastic too. That and the Giver were favorites when I was a kid. I read my first Sarah Dessen novel in January (Along for the Ride) and I loved it. Her characters are so interesting.

Stephanie – That the blinking bothered me so much I went back and counted the pages says a lot. :)Thought I'd hate BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, but the first couple of lines sucked me in – a rare occurance. This may be my favorite opener since THE HOBBIT.Amalia – I so want to read this series. It sounds fun and it's getting kids to read!Amber – This one's on my TBR list. I read EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED which I thought was amazing.Jonathon – Looking forward to NUMBER THE STARS. As someone who writes adult mysteries (okay, here's where I get myself in trouble again), why do all the interesting books seem to be MG and Y/A? With few exceptions, every mystery I pick up feels as though I've already read it. Joanne – Don't think you could have provided a more enticing review than "clear and unadorned style." This one is on my list for 2010. Thank you for stopping by!Natalie – When i was a kid, I read a lot, but I was addicted to biographies for young readers. It seems strange now, but I don't think there were as many MG and YA novels around as there are today.